How does an urban transplant successfully adapt to the practical and philosophical demands of small-scale rural agriculture? Noel Perrin, a former New Yorker turned Vermont farmer, utilizes his fifteen years of hands-on experience to examine the transition from city life to agrarian self-sufficiency. He presents a collection of observations and practical lessons that bridge the gap between romanticized rural ideals and the physical realities of farm maintenance.

Readers frequently note the accessible and humorous tone Perrin employs when discussing the challenges of country living. Experts highlight this work as a classic example of the 'back-to-the-land' literary tradition that balances practical instruction with personal narrative.